Tack machine



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April 5, 1938.

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April 5, 1938. E. c. BAKER ET AL TACK MACHINE Filed July 25, 1956 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 [72 yen tors;

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April 5, 1938. E. c. BAKER ET AL TACK MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 25, 1936 Z a min v a A nflM A. w N W 7% a r w e Z HM Q \Q) Q 1Q. Wu. J

April 5, 1938. E. c. BAKER ET AL TACK MACHINE 5. sheets-sheet 5 Filed July 25, 1936 *NFTIY fieZZwrZ W/Vaizsozz,

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Patented Apr. 5, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TACK MACHINE Application July 25, 1936, Serial No. 92,584"

14 Claims. (01. 10--173) This invention pertains to machines for making cut tacks or nails, and relates more particularly to improvements in mechanism for feeding and presenting the tack strip to the cutter,the present invention constituting an improvement upon that disclosed in the patents to Baker et al., No. 1,555,933, dated October 6, 1925 and No. 1,864,267, dated June 21, 1932.

One principal object of the present invention is to provide strip feeding means of improved type designed to present the end of the tack strip to the cutter with such accuracy as to permit the cutting of tacks having very fine and accurately shaped points, for example, shoe tacks, and to this end the improved mechanism comprises means for positively advancing the tack strip toward the cutters having provision for accurate'adjustment' of the timing of the advance movement of the strip relatively to the working stroke of the cutters.

A further object is to provide strip advancing means which receives its movement directly from the main shaft of the machine thereby to insure proper timing, but so devised asnot to obstruct the tack maker in his duties in adjusting or replacing the cutters, etc.

A further object is to provide for both a coarse and a fine adjustment of the strip feed, with provision for making such adjustments without interference with other settings of the mechanism.

A furtherobject is to provide means for retracting the tack strip from the path of the cutter as the latter rises, thereby toavoid dulling the cutters by contact of the upwardly moving cutters with the end of the tack strip.

A further object is to provide an improved support or bearing for the strip guiding barrel,- to provide a readily removable saddle for retaining the barrel in operative position; to provide an improved tension for the feed rolls; to provide an improved nose piece such as to expose the tack strip freely to view as it approaches the cutter, and so devised,that it will not readily become clogged with accumulations of lime from the strip; and to provide a simple and effective signal to show when the strip needs replenishment.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent in the following more detailed description and by reference to the appended drawings wherein V Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the improved feed mechanism, together with so much of a usual type of tack machine as is necessary to indicate the relationship of the new mechanism thereto;

. .Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front view, to smaller scale, showing the upper part of the tack machine and illustrating the novel mechanism for ,5 actuating the tack strip feed;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, to larger scale, showing details of the feed mechanism of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section to 10 larger scale, substantially on the line 4-4- of Fig. 3, showing details of the improved barrelretaining saddle;

Fig. 5 is an elevation tolarge scale showing the saddle-retaining pin removed from the sadl5 dle; 1

. Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the pin of Fig. 5

Fig. 7 isfa fragmentary bottom view of the saddle of Fig. 4 showing the means for holding the pin in operative position;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view showing the saddle and a part of the barrel and adjacent elements;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view showing the means for retracting the barrel after each cutting operation;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary vertical section substantially on the line l0|0 of Fig. 9;

. Fig. 11 is a developed view of the barrel-retracting cam illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary plan view of the delivery end of the barrel with its attached nose piece,- the feed roll housing, and the means for driving the feed'rolls;

Fig. 13 is a vertical section substantially on the line l3l3' of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a vertical section substantially on the line l4l4 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentaryperspeotive View with the several associated parts separated from each other, showing details of the feed roll loading devices and illustrating an upper feed roll of a modified type;

' Fig. 16 is a perspective view to large scale illustrating a part of the mechanism for drivingthe feed rolls;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing one end of the eccentric rod with its adjustable snap connection;

Fig. 18 is a plan view of one desirable form of nose piece, shown as removed from the barrel;

Fig. 19 is an edge elevation of the nose piece Fig. 20 is a plan view of a modified form of nose piece;

Fig. 21 is an edge elevation of the nose piece of Fig. 19;

Fig. 22 is a fragmentary plan view of a signal device operative to show when the tack strip needs replenishment;

Fig. 23 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in vertical section and to larger scale, illustrating a preferred and modified feed actuating mechanism;

Fig. 24 is a section on the line 2424 of Fig. 23; and

Fig. is a detail View, in perspective, of one element of the mechanism of Figs. 23 and 24.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I designates the main frame ofa tack or nail machine of a usual type, such machine having the main drive shaft 2 provided at one end with a hand wheel 3 (Fig. 2) and with a drive pulley 4. The machine frame also supports the fixed anvil block 5 (Fig. 3) which carries the stationary or ledger blade 6 with which cooperate the cutters 1 and 8, which, together with the forming tools and other adjunctive features common to the art, receive their motion through suitable connections actuated by the main shaft 2.

The frame also comprises the forwardly extending supporting arm 9 which carries appropriate bearings in which oscillates the hollow barrel I8 which receives and guides the tack strip on its Way to the cutters. This barrel is oscillated by means of a pair of oppositely wound straps II and I2 which are pulled downward alternately by appropriate mechanism, not shown, common in the art. As here illustrated, the machine is provided with a stand l3 which supports a reel 4 upon which is wound a coil of tack strip l5, the strip entering the left-hand end of the barrel, as viewed in Fig. l, and moving longitudinally of the barrel toward the righthand or delivery end of the latter.

The frame member 9 carries the upstanding stationary bracket l6 which in accordance with the present invention is provided with a bearing for a swivel member I! having a Vertical spindle 8 turning in a socket in the bracket Hi. This swivel member supports a ball bearing l9 within which the barrel I8 is free to turn and also to slide axially. A coiled. spring 20 encircles the barrel, bearing at one end against the housing of the ball bearing l9 and at its other against a collar 2| fixed to the barrel,the spring thus tending to move the barrel longitudinally toward the cutters.

In accordance with the present invention, the barrel is provided with a collar having a radial cam flange 22 (Figs. 1, 9, and 10) such cam flange having two substantially radial dwell portions 23 at diametrically opposite points, such dwell points being separated by the bosses 24. This cam flange cooperates with a roller 25 turning on a vertical stub shaft 26 projecting upwardly from a bracket 21 fixed to the frame member 9. The spring 20 urges the barrel ID to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, and thus tends to keep the cam flange 22 always in contact with the roller 25. The radial dwells 23 and the bosses 24 are so arranged that upon each oscillation of the barrel, whether in one direction or the other, the barrel will be bodily retracted away from the cutters in an axial direction immediately upon completion of each down stroke of the cutters, and while the cutters are on their upward or retracting stroke, so as to keep the end of the tack strip out of contact with the cutters as they retract, thus avoiding unnecessary dulling of the cutters.

The frame member 9 also supports a bracket 21 which carries a laterally directed arm 28 (Fig. 4) having an upstanding ear 28 near its free end. This ear provides bearings for a pin 29 whose axis is substantially parallel to that of the barrel and which supports a vertically swinging saddle arm 30 to the free end of which is secured a bearing member 3| which normally rests upon the upper part of the barrel II). This member 3| may be of any suitable material, preferably of a type which will form a good bearing contact with the barrel. This bearing member is urged downwardly against the barrel by means of a coiled compression spring 32, the upper end of which bears against a collar 33 adjustably fixed to a retaining pin 34. This pin is furnished with, a handle at its upper end and passes freely down through an opening in the arm 30. The lower end of this pin 34 is furnished with a transverse locking element 35 (Fig. 6), and the bracket arm 28 is furnished with an elongate slot 31 (Fig. 7) through which this member 36 may be passed when disposed in registry with the slot. However, after the member 36 has been passed through the slot 31, a quarter turn of the pin 34 will dispose the member 38 out of registry with the slot 31 and below the lower surface of the bracket, as shown in Fig. 7, so that the pin is locked in position with the spring 32 holding the saddle or bearing member 3| in resilient contact with the barrel. This arrangement provides for holding the delivery end of the barrel downwardly so as to keep the end of the tack strip in contact with the ledger blade 6, although permitting the barrel to rise as it oscillates and the tack strip turns about its narrow edge from one side to the other. Furthermore, merely by depressing the pin 34 and turning it a quarter turn, it is possible to release the saddle 3| from the barrel, whereupon the entire saddle device including the arm 30 may be swung about the pin 29 and away from the barrel, thus leaving the operator free to make such adjustments in the barrel or the feed mechanism as may be requisite.

To the right of the saddle device 'just described, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, the barrel is provided with a drive actuating sleeve 38 (Fig. 16) arranged to slide freely on the barrel and having a downwardly directed pin 39 which moves freely in a slot 40 in an arm 4| (Figs. 1 and 8) fixed to the bracket 21*. This actuator sleeve 38 comprises a radial flange member 42 and at its left-hand side, as viewed in Figs. 1, 3, and 16, with a block 43 having an upstanding stem 44 provided at its upper end with a substantially spherical knob 45 forming one element of a snap fastener.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the main frame of the machine is provided with bearings 46, 46 for a secondary shaft 41 preferably parallel to the drive shaft 2 and provided with a gear 4'1 which meshes with a gear 48 on the shaft 2 so that the shaft 4'! always turns in substantially exact consonance with the shaft 2. Preferably the upper bearings 46 are removable at will, so that the shaft 41, with the parts flxed to it, as hereafter described, may be lifted from its bearings, turned in one direction or the other, and replaced, so as to cause different teeth of gear 4'! to mesh with gear 48. This relative shifting of the gears provides for a coarse adjustment of the feed roll drive, as hereinafter more fully described.

The shaft 41 is provided with an eccentric 49 or equivalent element, here shown as provided with a split bushing 49 which, together with a fork member 49 constitutes the eccentric strap. The fork member is provided with diametrically opposite adjusting screws 50 which bear upon the bushing 49 and which permit the effective eccentricity of the member 49 to be varied tosome extent as well as providing for taking up wear in the bushing and to allow some freedom of pivotal movement in a transverse direction to the eccentric rod. The fork member 49* has connected thereto one end of the eccentric rod 5|, the latter preferably having screw threads 52 at its upper end whereby it may be adjusted relatively to the yoke or fork member, thus permitting a fine adjustment of the roll driving devices.

At its opposite end the eccentric rod 5| is provided with a sleeve member 53 (Fig. 17) which may, if desired, be adjustable longitudinally of the rod, as for example by means of screw threads and a lock nut,the sleeve 53 being closed at its end 54 and having within it a sliding plug 55 whose left-hand end, as here illustrated, (Fig. 17) is furnished with a spherically curved socket. This plug 55 is urged toward the closed end of the sleeve by means of a spring 56, one of which bears on the plug and the other against the end of the rod 5!. Near its closed end the sleeve 53 is furnished with an opening 51 in its wall, of such size as to permit the ball or knob 45 of the member 42 to be snapped into the interior of the sleeve 53 where it is engaged by the plug 55, the latter first retracting against the spring 56 and then snapping back into engagement with the knob 45, thereby to provide an operative connection between the rod 5| and the part 52, so that the latter is constrained to move longitudinally of the barrel in time with the rotation of the shaft 41. However, if it be desired to disconnect the rod 5|, it is merely necessary to lift the sleeve 53 with sufiicient force to disengage the ball 45 from its socket 51, whereupon the rod 5| may be swung upwardly, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1, and out of the way so that it will not interfere with the work of the tack maker in adjusting or resetting the tack-making tools.

Referring to Figs. 12 to 14 inclusive, the delivery end of the barrel is shown as provided with a feed roll housing 58 having bearings for the shaft 59 of a bottom feed roll 60, which, as illustrated in Fig. 14, has a substantialy fiat peripheral work-contacting surface. The shaft 59 extends outwardly at both sides of the housing member 58, being provided at one end with a gear BI and at its opposite end with a ratchet wheel 62. This ratchet wheel projects up into a slot in a longitudinally movable pawl-carrying bar 63 which is mounted to slide in bearings in bracket members 64 and 55 projecting from the side of the housing 58. This pawl-carrying bar 63 is urged to the left, as viewed in Fig. 12, by a spring 65 which is secured at one end to the bracket 65 and at its other end to a pin- 61 projecting from the bar 63. The bar 63 carries a resilient pawl member 68 which engages the teeth of the ratchet 62, being so arranged that on movement of the bar 63 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 12, the ratchet wheel and the shaft 59, together with the feed roll 60, is turned in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 13.

The bar 63 also carries a roll 69 which is held in contact with the right-hand face of the flange 42 of the actuating device by the action of the spring 66. Thus, as the actuating device 38 is reciprocated along the barrel ID by the eccentric 49, the bar 63 is also reciprocated and at each movement toward the right (Fig. 12) turns the feed roll 60 through a part revolution, the dis-v tance through which the roll turns being determined by the effective eccentricity ot the member 49. It will be noted that the forward stroke of the pawl is a positive movement, therebeing no yield between the eccentric and the parts driven thereby, sothat the advance of the tack strip is a positive advance and may be gauged with the greatest nicety, with respect to the operation of the cutting and forming devices, by the setting of the gears 4'! and 48 relatively to each other, and by the adjustment of the rod 5| relatively to the yoke 49.

The upper feed r011 10, which in Fig. 14 is shown as having an edge or peripheral surface of substantially V-cross section so as toprovide a narrow edge for engagement with the tack strip (this being especially desirable when using a tack strip which is of soft material) is carried by a shaft H having bearings preferably mounted in vertical slots 12 in the side walls 58 and 58* (Fig. 15) of the feed roll housing. The shaft II is provided with a gear 6| which meshes with gear 6|. These slots 12 receive bearings 13 which, as illustrated in Fig. 15, are furnished with recesses '14 designed to fit over the edges of the slots 12 so that the bearings 13 may slide freely in a vertical direction but without turning in the slots 12. As shown in Fig. 15, the peripheral edge of the feed roll 10 is fiat like that of the bottom. feed roll (it, although the V-edge top roll, previously described, is preferred.

In order to press the top feed roll downwardly against the tack strip with resilient pressure so as to insure a proper feed of the strip, it is preferable to provide a rocker device such as shown in Figs. 12 to 15. This rocker device is of substantially T-shape, having the transverse crossbar l5 and the stem portion 16. The member 1'5 is furnished with a slot 15 for the reception of the edge of the upper feed roll, and the member 15 is preferably formed of a length of wire bent to form a curved or rounded end 11 and having its extremities secured in the bar 15. By thus making the member 16, a longitudinal slot 8! is pro vided appropriate to receive a pin 82 (Fig. 13) having a screw-threaded engagement with the upper part of the housing 58. A coiled spring 83 surrounds this pin and bears at its lower end on a washer 84 bridging the slot 8| and resting upon the arms of the member 16. The upper end of the spring bears against a wing nut 85 at the upper end of the rod 82. The curved or rounded end 11 of the member 16 rests upon the upper surface 18 of the housing 58, while the opposite end portions 79 and of the bar 15 rest upon the respective bearing members 13. The rocker device as a whole may be moved longitudinally with reference to the pin 82 thereby to dispose it in the most effective position for applying the tensioning pressure to the bearings 73 and since it is free to rock about the rounded end 1'? (having in effect a three point bearing) the two bearing members 73 are permitted to rise and fall more or less independently so as to insure maintenance oi. proper pressure between the upper and lowerfeed rolls, even'though one or the other of the bean ings 13 should not work as freely as intended,

as, for example, by reason of accumulation of dust or dirt between it and the edges of the slots I2.

Near its right-hand end the housing 58 is provided with a transverse shaft or pivot pin 81 upon which is mounted a nose piece support 86. This nose piece support is provided at opposite sides with upstanding ears 88 and 89 (Fig. 12) having threaded openings for a pair of aligned oppositely directed adjusting screws 90 and 9 I respectively. Near the end of the barrel I the housing 58 is also furnished with two pairs of vertically aligned adjusting screws 93 and 94.

The preferred form of noise piece as here illustrated (Figs. 18 and 19) comprises an elongate plate 95 having a downwardly directed stud 99 which is adapted to enter an elongate slot 92 (Fig. 12) in the nose piece support 86 and to be disposed between the ends of the screws 90 and 9 I.

The plate 95 has a substantially flat upper surface but is furnished at its left-hand end, as indicated in Figs. 18 and 19, with an integral bridge member 91 having a horizontal slot 98 adapted to receive and to guide the tack strip as the latter is delivered from the barrel proper and enters the feed roll housing,

The nose piece is provided with a slot I00 through which the upper part of the lower feed 60 projects, and where the nose piece projects beyond the housing it is furnished with one or more openings IOI designed to permit any lime carried by the tack stripand which may be separated from the latter as the strip passes through the nose piece, to escape freely so as not to clog the nose piece. By adjustment of screws 90 and 9I the end of the nose piece may be swung horizontally, and by adjustment of screws 93 and 94 the end of the nose piece may be swung vertically.

In order to hold the tack strip down in proper position on the nose piece as it traverses the latter, it is preferred to provide a pivot pin I projecting upwardly from the nose piece at one side of the path of movement of the tack strip and to mount on this pin a resilient leaf-spring hold-down arm I04 preferably provided at its free end with an opening I06 designed to be snapped over a. pin I 01 at the other side of the nose pieceand diagonally disposed with respect to the pin I05.

The delivery end of the nose piece is preferably furnished with an integral. bridge member I02 having an elongate slot I09 for guiding and directing the tack strip as the latter approaches the cutters.

Normally the hold-down arm I04 occupies the full line position of Fig. 18, thus overlying the tack strip which extends from the guide opening 98 to the guide opening I03 and which is confined and held against the upper surface of the plate 95 by the resilient hold-down arm. However, to facilitate introduction of a new tack strip or to permit inspection or cleaning of the nose piece it is possible, by lifting the free end of the hold-down arm from the pin I01, to swing the hold-down arm about the pivot I05 to the broken line position of Fig. 18 where it no longer overlies the nose piece, thus permitting free inspection of and access to the tack strip and nose piece.

In Figs. 20 and 21 a modified form of nose piece is shown, this nose piece comprising the elongate plate member 95 having at one end the integral bridge piece 91 furnished with the guide open ing 98 and provided at its opposite end with the integral bridge piece I02 having the guide open ing I03. In this instance the upper surface of the nose piece is preferably provided with an elongate shallow recess I0I to reduce friction of the tack strip against the surface of the nose piece and also to provide clearance for any lime which may fall from the tack strip on its way through the nose piece. In this arrangement, in place of the resilient hold-down arm I04, there is provided a rigid hold-down member or bridge piece I04 having a guide opening I05 for the tack strip and provided at its sides with lugs furnished with screw-threaded openings IIl I for the reception of set screws by means of which it be held in adjusted position longitudinally of the nose piece. Such adjustment may be desirable in dealing with tack strips of different thickness or width or of different materials, and enables the tack maker to locate this intermediate control of the tack strip at any desired point between that shown in Fig. 20 and the left-hand end of the fixed bridge member I02 In order to indicate to the operator of the machine that it is time to replenish the tack strip, it is preferred to provide a signal device such as illustrated, for example, in Figs. 1 and 22. This signal device comprises a bracket I09 (Fig. 22) carried by the member 9 or other convenient part and furnished with a stub shaft I0'I on which is mounted a lever. I08 arranged to swing in a vertical plane. At one end this lever is furnished with a counterbalance weight I09 which is adjustable along the lever to provide for accurate balancing while the other end of the lever is furnished with a transversely extending finger or feeler element IIO which normally underlies the tack strip I5 at a point between the reel I4 and the receiving end of the barrel I0. So long as the tack strip continues to move from the reel to the barrel it holds down the finger I I0 in opposition to the action of the weight I09, but as soon as the end of the coil of tack strip passes the finger IIO, the weight I09 swings the lever I08 up to a more or less vertical position, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1. In order to make this movement of the lever more clearly evident to the operator, it is preferred to mount a target or flag III on the lever so that such target or flag will be raised as the lever swings and thus become readily visible to the operator from a substantial distance.

Under certain circumstances, particularly in the larger machines, it has been observed that the angularity of the rod 5I tends to lift the barrel during the feed stroke or movement of the rod to the right, as viewed in Fig. 3. To: avoid any possibility of actual lifting of the barrel from this cause, it is preferred to employ a modified construction illustrated by way of example in Figs. 23 to 25 inclusive.

Referring to the latter figures, the numeral Z'I indicates the upper part of the bracket similarly designated in Fig. 1. In this instance the bracket i! is provided with a substantially horizontal upper surface upon which rests a plate II2, preferably provided with a central, downwardly directed pin II3 which swivels in a socket Ill in the bracket 21*. The plate H2 is furnished with a pair of spaced openings I I5 which receive adjusting bolts II6,-the bolts passing loosely through the openings I I5 so as to permit a slight adjustment of the plate IIZ angularly about the axis of its pin I I3, after which the bolts I I6 may be tightened to hold the plate in adjusted position.

The plate H2 is provided with an upstanding central boss I I2 (Fig. 23) including a sleeve portion M provided with a horizontal bore constituting a guideway for a rod 1. This rod is provided with a fixed collar II! at one end. A coil spring H8 embraces the rod and bears at its opposite ends against the collar II'I and against one end of the sleeve 4|, respectively. The opposite end of the rod I I1 is preferably reduced in diameter and screw threaded for engagement with a screw-threaded bore in a downwardly directed ear I20 forming part of a yoke member I2I (Fig. 24). This yoke member comprises upwardly directed arms I22 and I23 defining between them a recess I24 having substantially parallel side walls and a curved bottom wall I25. The barrel I0 is disposed within this recess,--the recess being of sufficient depth to permit the necessary up-and-down motion of the barrel during the operation of the machine, but being of such width as to keep the barrel accurately positioned horizontally.

A bar I26 (Fig. 25) normally closes the upper end of this recess I24, the bar having openings I21 and I28 near its opposite ends. The upper ends of the arms I 22 and I23 of the yoke are slotted to receive the end portions of the bar I 25 respectively, and are also furnished with screwthreaded openings for the reception respectively of a bolt I29 (which passes through the opening I2'I of the bar I26 and constitutes a pivot for the bar) and a wing bolt I30 (which passes through the opening I28 in the bar I26 and normally holds the bar fixed to the yoke). However, by retraction of the wing bolt I30, the bar may be swung to the dotted position shown in Fig. 24 so as to permit the barrel to be lifted from the recess I24.

At its central part the bar I26 is provided with an upwardly inclined neck member M provided at its extremity with a knob or ball 45 corresponding in function to the knob or ball 45 above described and which is normally received in a socket in the member 53 carried by the rod 5|. The latter, as above described, is reciprocated in time with the rotation of the drive shaft of the machine by means of an eccentric, cam, crank or equivalent mechanical device. The yoke I2I corresponds in function to the actuator device 38 above described and is furnished at its left-hand side, as viewed in Fig. 23, with plate 42 preferably of hardened steel, which bears against roll 69 and performs the same function in this respect as the fiange 42 of the actuator above described.

In this construction the yoke or actuator I2I is positively guided in a rectilinear path by means of the sleeve M and rod Ill, and whatever upward component of force may be exerted by the reciprocating rod 5|, such component is opposed by the guide elements M and II! so that no lifting effort is applied to the barrel.

The general operation of the machine will be obvious, without specific description, tothose skilled in the art, it being sufi'icient to note that the movement of the feed roll actuator 38 has a positive movement in the feed direction and is in substantially exact consonance with the operation of the main drive shaft 2, so that the presentation of the tack strip to the cutters is very accurately controlled, thus making it possible to cut tacks with accurately shaped points such as are requisite for certain uses, particularly in the shoe trade. It is further tobe noted, as above pointed out, that this feed movement is capable of both coarse and fine adjustment. Furthermore, since the eccentric rod 5| may so readily be disconnected, the provision of this improved drive mechanism need not in any way interfere with the usual operations of the tack maker in setting and adjusting the various cutting and forming instruments.

While desirable features of the invention have been herein specifically described, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to the details of construction illustrated, but that the invention is capable of embodiment in various other arrangements of parts and that all equivalents and variations falling within the scope of the appended claims are to be regarded as a part of the present invention.

We claim:

1. In combination with a tack or nail machine having a rotary drive shaft, cutters and forming tools, an oscillatory strip-guiding barrel, means for oscillating it, and a pair of strip-feedingrolls mounted on the barrel, a drive element turning in consonance with the drive shaft, a reciprocatory rod actuated by said drive element, a rolldriving pawl, a reciprocable, non-oscillatory pawl actuator, guide means comprising a normally fixed part and a relatively sliding part constraining said actuator to move in a predetermined rectilinear path lengthwise of the barrel, and readily disengageable connections between the rod and actuator.

2. In combination with a tack or nail machine having a rotary drive shaft, cutters and forming tools, an oscillatory strip-guiding barrel, means for oscillating it, and a pair of strip-feedingrolls mounted on the barrel, a part moving in consonance with the drive shaft, a reciprocatory rod actuated by said moving part, a roll-driving pawl, a pawl actuator reciprocable along the barrel,

means whereby the length of the rod may be ad-' justed, a stern carried by the actuator provided at its end with a spherically curved knob, and a sleeve member carried by the rod having therein a socket for the reception of saidknob.

3. In combination with a tack or nail machinehaving fixed and movable cutters and forming tools and means for actuating them, an oscillatory barrel for guiding tack strip to the cutters, and means for oscillating the barrel, a saddle de-' vice for yieldingly retaining the delivery end of the barrel in operative relation to the cutters, said saddle device comprising an arm hinged to turn about an axis substantially parallel to that of the barrel and disposed at one side of the latter, and means yieldingly pressing the free end of the arm downwardly toward the barrel, said pressure-applying means comprising a releasable normally fixed abutment pin,"a spring reacting between a portion of the pin and said arm to hold the arm in barrel-retaining position, and releasable means normally holding the pin in operative position but constructed and arranged to permit release of the pin, thereby to allow the arm with the spring to be swung away from the barrel.

4. In combination with a tack or nail machine having fixed and movable'cutters and forming tools and means for actuating them, an oscillatory barrel for guiding tack strip to the cutters, and means for oscillating the barrel, hold-down means normally operative yieldingly to retain the delivery end of the barrel in operative relation to the cutters. said hold-down means comprising a barrel-engaging element movable when released to a position Wholly at one side of the barrel, said hold-down means comprising an abutment pin having .a locking element engaging a fixed part of the frame but releasable therefrom by partial rotation of the pin, and a spring reacting against an element of said pin normally operative to keep said barrel-engaging element in operative relation to the barrel.

5. In combination with a tack and nail machine having cutting and forming tools and means for actuating them, an oscillatory barrel for guiding tack strip to the cutters, strip-feeding means carried by the barrel and means for oscillating the barrel, the strip-feeding means comprising a pair of rolls between which the strip passes on its way tothe cutters, the top roll at least having movable bearings permitting the top roll to move bodily toward and from the other roll, and loading means for the top roll comprising a spring and a rocker device operative to transmit the spring pressure to the movable bearings of the top roll.

6. In combination with a tack and nail machine having cutting and forming tools and means for actuating them, an oscillatory barrel for guiding tack strip to the cutters, strip-feeding means carried by the barrel and means for oscillating the barrel, the strip-feeding means comprising a pair of rolls, one at least of said rolls being mounted in movable bearings whereby such roll is permitted to move bodily toward and from the other roll, a T-shaped rocker so arranged that the ends of its crossbar bear upon the respective bearings of the removable roll while the end of its stem rests upon a fixed support, and a loading spring bearing upon the stem of the rocker at a point between its free end and the crossbar.

'7. In combination with a tack and nail machine having cutting and forming tools and means for actuating them, an oscillatory barrel for guiding tack strip to the cutters, strip-feeding means carried by the barrel and means for oscillating the barrel, the strip-feeding means comprising a pair of rolls between which the strip passes on its way to the cutters, the top roll at least being mounted in movable bearings whereby it may move bodily toward and from the other roll, and loading means for the top roll comprising a T- shaped rocker so arranged that end portions of its crossbar rest upon the respective movable bearings, the free end of the stem member of the rocker being rounded and resting upon a fixed support, the stem of the rocker being longitudinally slotted, and a loading element comprising a spring and a pin which is encircled by the spring and which passes through the slot in the stem member of the rocker, thereby permitting the rocker to be adjusted longitudinally with respect to the loading means.

8. In combination with a tack and nail machine having cutting and forming tools and means for actuating them, an oscillatory barrel for guiding tack strip to the cutters, strip-feeding means carried by the barrel and means for oscillating the barrel, the strip-feeding means comprising a pair of driven rolls between which the strip passes on its way to the cutters, one of said rolls having a substantially fiat peripheral strip-contacting face and the other roll having a peripheral face of V-section providing a narrow edge for contacting with the strip.

9. In combination with a tack and nail machine having cutting and forming tools and means for actuating them, an oscillatory barrel for guiding tack strip to the cutters, strip-feeding means carried by the barrel and means for oscillating the barrel, a nose piece secured to the delivery end of the barrel, said nose piece being so attached to the barrel as to permit it to be swung transversely of the barrel in planes substantially at right angles to each other.

10. In combination with a tack and nail machine having cutting and forming tools and means for actuating them, an oscillatory barrel for guiding tack strip to the cutters, strip-reeding means carried by the barrel and means for oscillating the barrel, a nose piece secured to the delivery end of the barrel, said nose piece comprising an elongate plate forming a support for the tack strip, and means operative to hold the strip substantially in contact with the plate as it moves along the latter, the plate having an integral bridge member adjacent to its delivery end, said bridge member having an elongate slot for confining and guiding the tack strip.

11. In combination with a tack and nail machine having cutting and forming tools and means for actuating them, an oscillatory barrel for guiding tack strip to the cutters, strip-feeding means carried by the barrel and means for oscillating the barrel, a nose piece secured to the delivery end of the barrel, said nose piece comprising an elongate plate forming a support for the tack strip, said plate having a fixed longitudinally slotted strip-guiding element adjacent to its end, and a resilient hold-down element operative to hold the tack strip substantially in contact with the plate as it moves along the latter, said holddown strip being constructed and arranged for swinging movement laterally out of operative position to facilitate the introduction of a fresh strip into the nose piece.

12. In combination with a tack and nail machine having cutting and forming tools and means for actuating them, an oscillatory barrel for guiding tack strip to the cutters, strip-feeding means carried by the barrel and means for oscillating the barrel, a nose piece secured to the delivery end of the barrel, said nose piece comprising an elongate plate forming a support for the tack strip, a leaf spring pivotally secured near one edge of the plate and normally extending diagonally across the plate and overlying the tack strip to hold the latter substantially in contact with the plate, said spring being movable at Will about its pivotal support to expose the strip to view.

13. In combination with a tack and nail machine having cutting and forming tools and means for actuating them, an oscillatory barrel for guiding tack strip to the cutters, strip-feeding means carried by the barrel and means for oscillating the barrel, a nose piece secured to. the delivery end of the barrel, said nose piece comprising an elongate plate forming a support for the tack strip, said plate having apertures along the path of the strip to facilitate the discharge of lime from the nose piece, and an integral longitudinally slotted bridge member at its end operative to guide and confine the tack strip.

14. In combination with a tack and nail machine having cutters and forming tools, and means for actuating them, an oscillatory barrel for guiding tack strip on its way to the cutters, strip-feeding means carried by the barrel, and means for oscillating the barrel, a weighted lever normally tending to swing to upright position, and a feeler arm carried by the lever and normally engaging the tack strip on its way to the receiving end of the barrel thereby to hold the lever substantially horizontal so long as tack strip continues to enter the barrel.

EDWARD C. BAKER. DELB-ERT W. MANSON. 

